Softball: Young Lakers pass another test with win over Old Rochester

LAKEVILLE — The learning process continued for Apponequet in a 9-2 South Coast Conference softball victory over Old Rochester at Peter B. Looney Field on Friday.

Ed Collins

LAKEVILLE — The learning process continued for Apponequet in a 9-2 South Coast Conference softball victory over Old Rochester at Peter B. Looney Field on Friday.

"We're still learning how to win with a young team," Apponequet coach Bob Huckabee said. "We're building confidence and experience in every game that we play."

The Lakers struck for four runs in their first at bat and they extended their lead to 6-0 with two more runs in the second.

Senior center fielder Danielle Belliveau had a run-scoring double in the first, where the Lakers also took advantage of four walks and an error, and senior first baseman Rachel Eugenio knocked in a run with a second-inning single.

Junior pitcher Alee Wright, who finished with a four-hitter and four strikeouts and retired the last six batters she faced, helped her own cause with ground outs in the first and second that plated runs.

"When we score early, we relax and let the game come to us," Huckabee said. "We showed some good discipline at the plate in the first two innings and that helped us get off to a good start."

Sophomore third baseman Jill Miller, sophomore first baseman Sarah Reed, and Eugenio finished with two hits apiece for the Lakers.

The Lady Bulldogs scored both of their runs in the third inning to make it a 6-2 game on a sacrifice fly by freshman third baseman Sequoia Johnson and the Lakers' only error of the game.

A run-scoring single by Miller gave the Lakers a 7-2 lead in the bottom of the third and they capped their scoring in the fourth on a two-run single to right center by Reed.

WHAT IT MEANS: The victory left the Lakers (7-3, 7-2) third in the SCC standings behind league-leading Fairhaven and second-place Case. ... The loss dropped the Lady Bulldogs to 1-6 overall and in the conference.

KEY SEQUENCE: ORR played some great defense in the fifth. Sophomore center fielder Mya Lunn made a running catch on a ball hit into the right-center gap by Miller, sophomore shortstop Kaleigh Goulart made a nice catch moving to her right on a sinking line drive by Belliveau, and Johnson snagged a line drive by Dubois to end the inning.

OLD ROCHESTER COACH MIKE RODERICK: "We played well and we have a young team that needs to build on performances like that. It's all about building experience and we're making progress."

OLD ROCHESTER STATS: The Lady Bulldogs, who left four runners on base, committed five errors. ... "Our defense is still a work in progress," Roderick said. "We're giving teams extra outs and unearned runs and we need to clean that up."

APPONEQUET STATS: The Lakers batted around in the first inning. Sophomore second baseman Mackenzie Gomes led off with a walk and grounded out to first base for the third out. ... Gomes, Miller, and sophomore courtesy runner Sydney Manfrim had stolen bases. ... Freshman catcher Jess Dubois made a nice play on a foul pop for the first out of the game on Wright's first pitch.

NOTES: ORR junior catcher Sam Allaire did an outstanding job behind the plate blocking balls in the dirt, especially with runners on third base. ... Sophomore pitcher Sarah Eugenio, who plays the trumpet, missed the game because she was in New York City for a competition with the Apponequet Orchestra. ... Dubois was called for catcher interference in the third inning. ... Galavotti singled with two outs in the fifth inning, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.

OLD ROCHESTER 002 000 0—2

APPONEQUET 421 200 x—9

WP: Alee Wright (4-1); LP: Jill Galavotti (0-3)

Records: Apponequet (7-3, 7-2 SCC); ORR (1-6, 1-6 SCC)

Next: Both teams return to action on Monday. Apponequet plays at Bourne and Old Rochester travels to Seekonk.

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